Strategic Academic Innovation Lead

LYCEUM; Randburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Lyceum Randburg, South Africa, invites applications for the Academic Planning and Innovation Lead. This strategic role defines academic programmes, sets standards and guides growth while ensuring compliance with policy and market needs.

You will work with the Academic Planning and Strategy Manager and Quality Assurance teams to shape curriculum framework, CPD, and digital transformation, while not handling day-to-day teaching.

Qualifications

• Honours Degree in Higher Education, Educational Leadership, Law, Political Sciences, International Relations or related field.
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in higher education.
• Experience in academic planning, programme development, and quality assurance in a higher education setting.
• Experience with South African higher education policies and accreditation processes, particularly CHE and DHET.

Responsibilities

• Define and approve the institutional programme pipeline aligned to strategy, market demand, and national priorities.
• Lead portfolio rationalisation and expansion, ensuring programme offerings remain viable, relevant, and sustainable.
• Guide programme positioning, differentiation, and long-term viability.
• Establish institutional standards for curriculum structure, sequencing, and academic design.
• Drive Teaching and Learning Framework and CPD initiatives.
• Oversee the integration of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and industry-relevant components within programme design.
• Lead the digital transformation agenda within academic planning, ensuring programmes are scalable and flexible.
• Promote digital pedagogies and learning technologies within delivery models.
• Ensure programmes are aligned with HEQSF, NQF, CHE, DHET, and SAQA requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Curriculum development

Data analysis

Academic programme design

Stakeholder collaboration

HE policy knowledge

Education

Honours Degree in Higher Education or related field

Job description

Lyceum Randburg, South Africa, invites applications for the Academic Planning and Innovation Lead. This strategic role defines academic programmes, sets standards and guides growth while ensuring compliance with policy and market needs.

You will work with the Academic Planning and Strategy Manager and Quality Assurance teams to shape curriculum framework, CPD, and digital transformation, while not handling day-to-day teaching.